CBB Review prepares you for every conference tournament leading up to Selection Sunday on Mar. 16. Up next: The Big Sky Tournament.
Starch Madness is upon us! This has been one of the most chaotic and exciting tournaments in the past few years, and hopefully, that will be the case again this year. This conference was dominated by two teams. Both Northern Colorado and Montana finished 15-3, four games ahead of third place. Northern Colorado earned the tiebreaker for the one seed.
Montana State has won the last three Big Sky tournaments, making them the first team in league history to three-peat. They’ll look to continue the streak as the 5 seed, the same seed they were last season. A seven seed or lower has made the semifinal in the last three tournaments, so don’t expect chalk.
The bracket format is a little strange. The top two seeds play in the second round but not the third. The 3-6 seeds play in the third round before meeting up with the top 2 seeds (if they advance). The tournament takes place over five days, starting March 8th and ending on the 12th.
2025 Big Sky Conference Awards
Player of the Year: Dylan Darling, Idaho State
Freshman of the Year: Kolton Mitchell, Idaho
Transfer of the Year: Dylan Darling, Idaho State
Coach of the Year: Steve Smiley, Northern Colorado
First Team:
- G: Langston Reynolds, Northern Colorado (16.5 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.5 APG, 0.9 SPG)
- G: Joe Pridgen, Montana (11.6 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.9 SPG)
- G: Dylan Darling, Idaho State (19.9 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 5.9 APG, 1.7 SPG)
- G: Trent McLaughlin, Northern Arizona (22.1 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.8 SPG)
- F: Carson Towt, Northern Arizona (13.4 PPG, 12.4 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.2 SPG)
Second Team:
- G: Money Williams, Montana (13.5 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.1 SPG)
- G: Jake O’Neil, Idaho State (13.0 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.1 SPG)
- G: Andrew Cook, Eastern Washington (16.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.3 SPG)
- G: Blase Threatt, Weber State (20.1 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.9 SPG)
- F: Isaiah Hawthorne, Northern Colorado (17.4 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.2 APG, 1.2 SPG)
2025 Big Sky Tournament Simulation
First Round – Sat., Mar. 8
9. Weber State (11-21, 5-13) vs. 10. Sacramento State (7-24, 3-15) – 5:30 p.m. MT on ESPN+
This is one of those weird brackets where the 9 and 10 play each other, and the 7 and 8 play instead of 7 and 10 and 8 and 9. Regardless, Sacramento State can’t put the ball in the basket. In the last three games, they’ve failed to score more than 61 points. They finished the season 354th of 364th in points per game, and only two players averaged double figures.
This Weber State team is far from impressive, but good enough to beat Sacramento State.
Ariel’s pick: 9. Weber State
7. Northern Arizona (17-14, 8-10) vs. 8. Eastern Washington (10-21, 6-12) – 8:00 p.m. MT on ESPN+
NAU finished with the same record as Idaho, but with tiebreakers, they have to play today and tomorrow if they win instead of getting two extra days of rest. Best believe they’ll take their frustrations out on Eastern Washington, a team they beat by 20 on February 22nd.
Eastern Washington went 2-14 away from home this season, and I don’t expect win number 3 here.
Ariel’s pick: 7. Northern Arizona
Second Round – Sun., Mar. 9
1. Northern Colorado (23-8, 15-3) vs. 9. Weber State – 5:30 p.m. MT on ESPN+
These two teams played a close game in the regular season finale, with Northern Colorado winning by five. The one seed has lost in the quarters in the last two seasons. Will Weber State make it a third? No, Northern Colrado just shoots the ball too well to allow that to happen.
Ariel’s pick: 1. Northern Colorado
2. Montana (22-9, 15-3) vs. 7. Northern Arizona – 8:00 p.m. MT on ESPN+
Montana is not playing their best basketball right now, especially away from home. They lost to Portland State in overtime, they got outscored by 3-15 Sacramento State by 10 in the second half of a win, and they only beat Montana State and NAU on the road by a combined seven points. Yes, these are wins, but they are not at all convincing. Montana also finished first in the entire country in KenPom’s luck rating, and luck can only take you so far in life.
This NAU team is playing particularly great basketball either, but this team has shades of the 2023 team, with Trent McLaughlin leading the way instead of Jalen Cone. Montana can win this game by 20, and you can come back to this article and call me the biggest idiot in the world, but it’s March, baby. Let’s get mad!
Ariel’s pick: 7. Northern Arizona
Quarterfinals – Mon., Mar. 10
4. Idaho State (15-14, 10-8) vs. 5. Montana State (14-17, 9-9) – 5:30 p.m. MT on ESPN+
Montana State hasn’t gone one and done in a conference tournament since 2018. They have winning in their DNA.
Idaho State has Dylan Darling, the best player in the conference, who scored 27 points last time these two teams played.
This is a true toss-up, but you have to trust the guys who have been here before.
Ariel’s pick: 5. Montana State
3. Portland State (19-12, 11-7) vs. 6. Idaho (13-18, 8-10) – 5:30 p.m. MT on ESPN+
First of all, let’s give a big round of applause to Portland State for tying their best season finish since 2011. This team is building something, and a 13-1 home record indicates that. Portland State swept the season series, and they’re defense has given teams issues as of late. They’ve held the opponent under 60 points in three of the last four games.
Idaho just doesn’t have the experience that Portland State does, and that could be a big problem. Their top four scorers are all underclassmen, and haven’t experienced success in conference tournament play.
Ariel’s pick: 3. Portland State
Semifinals – Tues., Mar. 11
1. Northern Colorado vs. 5. Montana State – 7:00 p.m. MT on ESPNU
Will the streak continue? The two regular season matchups were close, with the final scores of the two games being a combined 8 points. Northern Colorado won both, but it’s hard to beat a team three times in a season. These big-time moments come down to who can take and make a big-time shot in a big-time moment.
On January 9th, in a road environment, first-teamer Langston Reynolds drove and hit a layup with two seconds to go to beat this Montana State team. Expect him to take charge down the stretch again and lead this team to the final.
Ariel’s pick: 1. Northern Colorado
3. Portland State vs. 7. Northern Arizona – 9:30 p.m. MT on ESPN2
Portland State embarrassed North Arizona last time these two teams played, holding them to 46 points on 23% shooting. Portland State wasn’t all that great either, shooting 14.3% from three and turning the ball over 15 times. There’s something in the air in Boise, Idaho, and March Madness is all about stars being made.
Northern Arizona has two of them, and no one is hotter in the country right now than Trent McLaughlin. In his last five games, McLaughlin is averaging 26.8 PPG and shooting 58% from three. Pair him with Carson Towt, the country’s leading rebounder, and you’ve got madness on your hands. Starch Madness, baby!
Ariel’s pick: 7. Northern Arizona
Championship – Wed., Mar. 12
1. Northern Colorado vs. 7. Northern Arizona – 9:30 p.m. MT on ESPN2
Can the Cinderella Run continue? As mentioned earlier, the 2023 team made it to the final before falling by seven. These two teams played in the penultimate game of the season, and Northern Colorado won by 10. McLaughlin scored 35 points, and they still lost by double digits. This team is just too good, and for the first time in program history, Northern Colorado will be your Big Sky champions!
Ariel’s pick: 1. Northern Colorado
[…] seasons, Montana basketball has been forced to watch their in-state rivals Montana State win the Big Sky tournament. This included a loss to them in the final last year, and Montana’s mind has been on revenge […]